


A Merry Little (Blushing) Christmas

by Dancing_Adrift, gluedwithgold



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: AU, Blow Jobs, Blushing, Christmas, Co-Authored Fic, First Kiss, Gift Fic, J2, Kissing, M/M, Musician Jensen, Nerdy Boys, Schmoop, Shy Jared, Tattoos, first time writing porn, holiday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 01:47:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5356352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancing_Adrift/pseuds/Dancing_Adrift, https://archiveofourown.org/users/gluedwithgold/pseuds/gluedwithgold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared is chronically shy and introverted, but he isn’t going to let it stop him from enjoying the holidays; Jensen is more than willing to help. There is a lot of blushing - we’re not really sure how that happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Merry Little (Blushing) Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [non_tiembo_mala](https://archiveofourown.org/users/non_tiembo_mala/gifts).



> Jen had the brilliant idea of writing a fic for Sammie as a ‘thank you’ for all the support she gave her during NaNoWriMo 2015. She was then generous enough to let Amanda write alongside her as a ‘thank you’ for Sammie being an awesome writing partner to _her_. This is our combined ‘thank you’ to Sammie for just being such an amazing friend and inspiration. We love you, chica, and we hope you appreciate that we popped our porn-writing cherries for you. Enjoy!  <3
> 
> Co-written and edited by Dancing_Adrift and gluedwithgold.

Jared stepped through the door brushing the snow from the shoulders of his peacoat and shaking it out of his rich brown, shoulder-length hair. The party was in full swing, the large, open living room of his friend Sammie’s house crowded with people drinking, laughing, conversing in small groups, and generally making merry. He scanned the room to find her or anyone else he knew with no success. He pushed aside the nervous butterflies in his stomach and made his way through the cheerful throng, stopping by the bar near the kitchen entrance for a glass of red wine before retreating to the gleaming white baby grand in the far corner and taking a seat on the bench. 

He sipped at his wine as he watched the people milling about, no one seeming to notice him. It was times like this he felt the full effect of his introversion, the innate shyness that had defined him for his entire life. He’d always been a reader, always found solace in escaping to the fictional worlds on the pages of countless novels, so it was natural for him to become a bookshop owner and encompass his life with books. It was there he’d met Sammie, a local author. She’d come in one day with a few copies of her self-published novel and asked if he’d sell them for her. He’d gladly obliged, and after reading it himself, had displayed the book front and center on his ‘Recommended Reads’ shelf to boost sales for her. They’d gotten to know each other over the following months, spending more and more time chatting each time she’d come in to restock copies of her book, which just kept growing in popularity. He liked Sammie, enjoyed their conversations, so he accepted without hesitation when she’d invited him to her annual Christmas bash. He hadn’t considered the awkwardness of being in room full of strangers with the only person he knew being the busy hostess, though. So, he sat drinking his wine, watching from the periphery and keeping an eye out for his friend. 

A deep, warm, full-bellied laugh rang out over the din of the room. Jared tracked the sound to a small group near the front door. It had come from a tall, dark blonde-haired man with a rough-hewn, angular face. After the laugh, it was the eyes that caught his attention - bright green and shining, even from a distance, and framed with laugh lines that spoke of years of living a life filled with fun and joy. Jared’s butterfly-filled stomach did a somersault of nervousness as he looked at the man, watched as he pulled the black fleece scarf from around his neck and tucked it into his jacket pocket, then slid the coat off revealing a tight-fitting sweater that accentuated his broad shoulders. He was slightly surprised at his physical reaction to the simple gesture of this man taking off a coat, but there it was, twinging below his waist all the same.

Jared was jerked from his reverie when a hand landed softly on his shoulder and he jumped, his face flushing slightly, turning away from the stunning specimen of a man and towards his friend (finally!), her beautiful brown eyes sparkling with laughter. He immediately rose from his perch to pull her into a huge bear hug.

“Sammie! You startled me!” He kissed the top of her shiny brunette head with great affection; she was pretty tall for a woman, but at 6’4”, Jared was used to towering over most of his friends.

“What were you looking at so intently, hmm?” Sammie asked with a grin as she pulled away from the hug. Jared felt the heat in his face rise, sure he was in a full-fledged blush now.

“I...uh...nothing,” Jared said, willing the awkward churning in his stomach away. “You having a good night?”

“Of course!” Sammie said with a distracted smile, glancing around the room, still trying to find whatever had gotten Jared so flustered. “Are _you_ having fun? How long have you been here? Sorry I didn’t see you sooner, but you know how these things go.”

Jared glanced down at his feet and shrugged, unsure how to tell his friend that he was a little outside his element. He took a deep breath and raised his head to meet her gaze with a twitch of a smile.

“It’s a great party Sam, really. I just…” He huffed out another quick breath. “I’m just not really very good at this whole ‘socializing’ thing.” He could feel the blush return with his admission and he glanced away again, this time looking around at all the other guests, the whole room full of holiday cheer; Jared wanted to join them, he just didn’t know how to get his foot in that door. Thankfully, he had Sammie.

“Jared Padalecki,” she started, boldly grabbing his chin with her hand and forcing him to face her again. “You do _want_ to be here, right? Because I want you to be here, but I need to make sure you have a good time, too. That’s my job.” She pointed towards herself with the hand not currently gripping his face.

“Me, hostess.” She turned that same index finger towards him and jabbed the perfectly manicured nail into his chest with a stern look. “You, guest.”

Jared let out a surprised chuckle. Reverting to caveman-speak should probably offend him, but Sammie’s teasing silliness was just the push he needed. Perhaps, maybe with a little more wine, he could find it in himself to test the bounds of his comfort zone a little bit. It’s not like he knew anyone here that he needed to worry about impressing. His mind flashed an unhelpful image of the beautiful man with the heady laugh and the emerald eyes, and a small gasp escaped from his suddenly too-dry lips.

“Okay, okay, I’ll give being social a try,” he conceded, giving Sammie’s side a little nip between his fingers, making her yelp and release his face to slap at his hand. “But I’m gonna need more booze.”

“Ah! Yes, say no more!” Sammie laughed delightedly and stepped behind him, pushing at the middle of his back and shoving him not so subtly in the direction of the bar.

“Go! Drink, you fool!” she quipped with a smirk. “I’ve got hostess-y things that need tending to.” Her eyes sparkled, shimmering mischievous and dark like the coffee of which she was so fond, and she shot him one more brilliant grin as she retreated to continue her rounds amongst the chattering crowd.

 _“I hope it comes in pints,”_ Jared muttered as he straightened his shoulders and headed resolutely towards the bar.

Five minutes later and Jared had successfully taken his first fledgling steps towards social butterfly status. The man now pouring drinks behind the bar was Sammie’s husband, Andrew, whom Jared had met once before when he’d come into the bookstore with Sammie to deliver another shipment of her books. He was a pleasant, easy-going fellow, and all it had taken was an innocent slip of a Star Wars reference when Jared ordered his drink and then they were chatting like old friends over their tumblers of scotch. Andrew was a multi-talented musician, and the drummer for a band that specialized in AC/DC covers. He was telling a fairly enrapturing story about the time the power had gone out in the middle of a performance of ‘Thunderstruck’ when he suddenly broke off mid-sentence to grin at the space behind where Jared was leaning against the bar.

“Jensen, my man! Merry Christmas, buddy!” Andrew reached an arm over the wooden counter to clasp the hand of the man who had stepped up behind Jared’s right shoulder. Jared straightened and turned his side to the bar, resting his left palm flat on the hard surface while making room for the added member to their conversation. When his eyes landed on the face of the man now standing beside him, his breath caught in his throat and his body froze in place. Well, most of his body, anyway. There were some places that immediately began to warm from being in such close proximity to the same gorgeous man that he had noticed earlier, and Jared’s face was just the most visibly affected by the increase in blood flow. Or so Jared hoped. He struggled to focus his thoughts back to their conversation when he heard Andrew saying his name.

“...a friend who sells Sammie’s books in his store.” Andrew motioned towards Jared as he introduced him, and then Jared flushed even further as the full attention of the man’s startlingly viridian eyes turned to him. He forced himself to smile at the man despite the swirling knot of anxiety and arousal taking over his body.

“Nice to meet you,” Jared said through a bone-dry mouth, then stretched out his arm to the beautiful man - _Jensen_ , he reminded himself - hoping the shaking wasn’t visible. Jensen took his proffered hand and shook it, causing Jared to inhale sharply in pleasure at the warmth and firmness of Jensen’s grip. When their hands parted, Jared immediately reached for his drink and took a quick gulp. He didn’t have nearly enough alcohol in his system yet to deal with this.

“You too,” Jensen said, eyes sparkling as he smiled at Jared. “So, bookstore, huh?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s just a little shop downtown,” Jared said, sliding his empty glass across the counter towards Andrew, smiling weakly in gratitude when Andrew took the hint and grabbed the scotch bottle to refill it. 

“Can’t beat being your own boss, though, right?” Jensen said, that dizzying smile still plastered on his face, those diamond-shaped creases at the corners an unavoidable distraction. 

“That’s true,” Jared said, lifting his newly-filled tumbler halfway to his mouth. “What do you do?” 

“I’m a musician - that’s how I know Andrew. Mostly solo, I usually play the local bars,” Jensen explained, leaning in just slightly towards Jared, those damned eyes laser focused on Jared’s. Jared moved back slightly out of an innate sense of self-preservation and he swallowed more from his glass, embarrassingly reliant on the amber liquid to continue the conversation. He glanced warily to his left as the alcohol burned down his throat, only to notice that Andrew had silently ducked away from the bar to chat with another acquaintance. Jared coughed roughly as he nervously downed the remnants of his drink too quickly, sending him into a hacking fit that had him doubling back over the counter.

Jensen reached out and helpfully slapped him on the back as he choked back tears and struggled to regain control of his breathing.

“Dude, you alright?” Jensen said with a laugh.

“Good,” Jared gasped, his face reddened more from embarrassment than from the coughing fit. “I’m good.”

As he finally took in a full breath, Jared noticed Jensen’s hand still resting on his back. He could feel the warmth through his shirt, and startled slightly to notice the hand slowly moving in a small circle. Was Jensen... _caressing_...his back?

Jared looked up at Jensen to find that his bright grin had changed to a softer smile, his green eyes focused on Jared’s with an unmistakable twinkle. A twinkle that sent the blood from Jared’s face downward at a rapid pace.

“So, musician, huh?” Jared parroted back at Jensen, trying to take his mind off the growing tightness in his jeans and get them back to talking about anything other than his inability to drink properly. Jensen’s hand was still on his back, searing a circle of heat there that was entirely too distracting for Jared to handle. He brought his right arm up between them, clearing his throat into his loose fist, his voice still rough from all the coughing. “What exactly do you play?”

“Well, mainly I play guitar and sing, pretty standard fare,” Jensen answered, relocating his hand to spread its burn in a firm grip on Jared’s bicep as his body convulsed in another short spasm of hacking.

“Dude, seriously. Let’s get you some water or something before you cough up a lung.” Jared, his face apparently forever in a state of blushing now, silently nodded his agreement and let Jensen steer him around the bar and into the dimly lit kitchen behind.

Jared leaned against the counter next to the sink, wracked by a few more bursts of coughing as Jensen grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it at the tap. As the latest fit subsided, he watched Jensen, quietly observing his lithe, strong body, his movements at ease and confident. Jared took in a steadying breath. He was sure of the signals he’d been getting - entirely, confidently sure. Maybe it was the dizzying effects of the scotch, maybe it was the the delicate assurance of Jensen still hanging around even after he’d turned into a sputtering mess - whatever it was, he decided to go for it. As he accepted the drink from Jensen’s outstretched hand, Jared let his fingers brush against Jensen’s, and met his steady green gaze with a smile.

“Thanks,” Jared said, downing half the water in one smooth motion, tipping his head back to deliberately give what he hoped was a tantalizing view of his neck, then set the glass down on the counter behind him. He looked back up to where Jensen was still watching him intently, both hands gripping the edge of the sink, and felt his stomach flip. For a brief moment he thought he’d run out of the kitchen, make a beeline for the door and just leave the party altogether. Instead, he shrugged and smiled, then took a step towards Jensen, lifting one hand to his shoulder as he leaned in, his head tilting just slightly, and pressed his lips to Jensen’s. He could feel his whole body shaking, his mind racing with what-the-fuck-are-you-doing thoughts, but that all vanished, instantly, when Jensen leaned into the kiss, one hand rising to land at the back of Jared’s neck, pulling him in closer, the other coming to rest on his hip. Jared’s eyes fluttered and he moaned a little at the feel of Jensen’s perfect lips against his; he opened to Jensen with a silent gasp, the warm smooth slide of his tongue sweeter than the wine from earlier, the taste just as dangerous and potent as the scotch; Jared sucked on his tongue, drinking in Jensen with great, greedy gulps, drowning in a feeling more intoxifying than any liquor.

Jensen had just tightened his grasp on Jared’s hip, pressing him back against the counter and pushing their groins together in a move that made them both groan, when there was a soft little _hem-hmm!_ from the kitchen entrance and they instantly sprung apart. Sammie was standing there, silhouetted in the doorway against the bright lights from the living area, watching them silently with bright eyes and a tilted, knowing smile on her face. Jared felt his face flush _again_ , and was thankful for the semi-privacy of the darker room. Jensen had separated from him with the interruption, but he still had one hand resting gently on Jared’s hip, his thumb rubbing small, reassuring circles against the exposed skin where his sweater had ridden up. Jared cleared his throat, desperately searching for something - anything - he could possibly say to diffuse the awkwardness.

“I, um…hi?” Apparently Jared’s pathetic attempt at speech was enough to break the tension, because then both Sammie and Jensen burst out laughing. Sam had one arm braced against the kitchen wall, the other clutching her stomach as she drew in deep, gasping breaths. Jensen’s whole hand was now tightly clinging to Jared’s side, his head thrown back and his eyes crinkled so endearingly that - Sammie’s presence or no - Jared barely resisted the urge to kiss every delicate and storied line on Jensen’s beautiful face. After a few moments of hysteria on Sam and Jensen’s parts - and lots more furious blushing on Jared’s - they all managed to calm themselves enough to regain some manner of composure. Sam was the first to fully recover.

“Ohhhh boy. I’m just gonna blame the wine for that one. Sorry, boys. It’s nice to see you two have met each other. I was actually hoping to introduce you, but I see that’s no longer necessary. I’m glad you’re having a good time, Jared.” Sammie winked conspiratorially, and Jared, who didn’t think he could get any redder, blushed even further and ducked his head with an embarrassed sort of pride. Jensen moved away from Jared fully then with one last parting squeeze at his hip, stepping towards Sammie.

“Did you need help with something in here, or…” Jensen paused halfway to Sam and scratched at the back of his neck with one large, slightly calloused hand - Jared was suddenly fascinated by his hands for some totally, completely inexplicable reason - the other arm bent at the elbow and resting on his own hip. He was turned away from Jared, giving him the perfect opportunity to check out his ass. Jared did his best to discreetly adjust himself in his pants, trying to relieve some of the pressure that had been building there ever since he’d first shaken Jensen’s hand. He thought maybe Sammie had caught him at it by the way her eyes darted in his direction for a second, but then she was focused again on Jensen.

“Nah, I was just coming back to grab the SoCo. Amanda and Jen wanna do shots, and I guess we forgot to restock the bar. So really, don’t mind me!” Now it was Sammie’s turn to blush and duck her head. Jared was about to laugh, but then he saw the glint in her eye when she raised her head again, and it died in his throat, a sort of fear blooming in its place. Jensen must have noticed too, because he braced one arm against the cupboards above his head and tossed a worried glance over his shoulder at Jared.

“Of course, the kitchen might not be the _best_ place for you boys to, um, ‘meet’ each other, so...I mean, well, there is a guest room down the hall where everyone’s keeping their coats, you know, if you want some privacy,” she blurted out in a rush. The blush deepened, but the scheming light remained stubbornly in her eyes as she ducked underneath Jensen’s outstretched arm and slinked past Jared with an expression that was possibly guilty, possibly encouraging and then disappeared into a doorway that Jared assumed lead to...wherever she kept the spare booze. He shook his head after her and then turned to look back at Jensen, noticing that he wasn’t the only one blushing for a change. Jared cleared his throat and leaned back against the cupboard.

“Sorry, I guess...I got a little carried away?” Jared said, tilting his head with a sheepish little grin. “I’m usually not so...well…. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, Jared,” Jensen said as he stepped back across the room, returning to Jared’s side, leaning slightly against the length of Jared’s thigh and hip, his right hand landing on Jared’s waist and sliding around to press at the small of his back. He leaned forward, barely brushing his lips across Jared’s neck before raising them to whisper into his ear. “I wanted to do that as soon as I met you.”

“Really?” Jared said, his voice low, barely more than a whisper, grinning as he turned his head to meet Jensen’s eyes.

“Mmm-hmm,” Jensen hummed, twisting and pressing his hips forward a little more so Jared could feel just how much he wanted to, the hard evidence pushing right up against his thigh. “Actually, as soon as I saw you leaning against the bar.”

“Is that so?” Jared lifted his left hand to Jensen’s shoulder, then slid it down to his chest to rest over a firm, sweater-covered pec.

“Yup. I couldn’t help noticing how these jeans you’re wearing…” Jensen slid his hand lower from where it rested against the small of Jared’s back to grasp a handful “...really show off your ass.”

Jared let out a half moan, half squeak as Jensen gave a firm squeeze. He cleared his throat again, pushing himself up to standing a little straighter.

“Maybe we should go find that room Sammie was talking about?” Jared said.

“Sounds like a brilliant idea,” Jensen said with a warm sigh that teased at Jared’s neck, sending a chill down his spine. Jensen nodded as he pulled away, grabbing Jared’s hand and pulling him along as they passed through the kitchen door. He stopped short at the bar, snatching up a bottle of wine before continuing on and tugging Jared through the crowd of guests to the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

Once they’d found the small guest bedroom, the bed littered with coats, Jensen gave a quick jerk to Jared’s hand, pulling him into the room and against his body, their chests meeting with a soft thud. Jared grappled with the door, pushing it firmly shut behind them and locking it blindly, his lips already seeking Jensen’s again. Free to touch at will, he reached up to place both his hands on either side of Jensen’s neck, his long thumbs resting on his cheeks just in front of his ears, and leaned in to press his lips firmly against Jensen’s. Their mouths opened instantly, tongues seeking each other’s, both men moaning quietly as they moved tighter together. Jensen slid his arms around Jared’s hips, one still gripping the forgotten wine bottle, then lowered the other to grip Jared’s ass, squeezing and pulling him up against his groin. He smiled against Jared’s mouth when he heard the moaning squeak come out of him again, loving that it took so little to draw out those unique, endearing noises. Jensen pulled away for just a second, stepping to the side to place the wine on top of the dresser by the door, needing to have both hands free to touch every part of Jared. Jared couldn’t help but follow him, every cell in his body needing to be as close as possible to Jensen at all times now that they were together. He wrapped his arms around Jensen from behind and regarded the bottle of Merlot.

“So, what were you planning to do with that?” he nuzzled the question into Jensen’s neck, gently pressing kisses and tiny bites to every bit of exposed skin (which, really, wasn’t all that much, in fault of the fuzzy sweater, but that was a problem soon and easily solved). Jensen let his head fall back onto Jared’s shoulder, exposing more of the column of his throat to Jared’s questing mouth, little breathy sighs swooshing past his kiss-swollen lips.

“Well, I was thinking that it’d be nice to have something to drink while we got to know each other a bit better, but now... _fuck_. Just want you.” Jensen felt the warm huff of Jared’s breath against his neck as a moan vibrated up from his throat. The wanton noise caused a twitch in Jensen’s already too-tight jeans. In an instant, Jared had spun him around to face him, urgently pressing him into the dresser with his hips. Jensen’s arms wrapped around Jared, pulling him even closer as he planted his lips to Jared’s, his tongue darting inside, flicking at the back of his front teeth and teasing the roof of his mouth.

Jensen let out a low growl, then pulled away slightly, glancing around the room until he saw the overstuffed armchair sitting in the corner. Hooking his fingers through the belt loops at Jared’s waist, he turned away from the dresser and stepped backward, pulling Jared with him while connecting their lips once again. Jared’s hands grasped the bottom of Jensen’s sweater as they moved across the room, scrunching it and the plain white t-shirt he wore underneath up his chest. They pulled their mouths apart for just a second, long enough for the shirts to be yanked up over Jensen’s shoulders and head then tossed to the floor. As they reached the chair, Jensen’s calves butting up against the edge of the seat, he grabbed hold of Jared’s shirt and repeated the process of swiping it off his body and throwing it aside. Jensen let his eyes drop to take in the gorgeously - and surprisingly - sculpted chest before him (seriously, what bookstore owner looks like _this_?). Even more surprising, however, was the smattering of tattoos now proudly on display atop the sea of golden skin. Jensen dropped to the seat behind him and reached out with both hands, landing them on either side of Jared’s abdomen at the sharp (and insanely hot) cut of his hipbones, urging his body forward so he could take a moment to more closely inspect Jared’s varied ink.

The largest piece by far was a huge tattoo of Texas, planted on Jared’s chest right over his heart. Within the outline of the state, the word ‘Texas’ was scrawled in a barbed-wire font; it was a full color tattoo, the background filled with the red, white and blue of the Texan flag surrounded by a smattering of yellow roses. Jensen lifted one hand to rest over the image, and, even with his long fingers spread wide over Jared’s chest, he still couldn’t cover the whole design. _Everything’s bigger in Texas_ , he mused to himself, and couldn’t help how his eyes were drawn downward to the straining bulge in Jared’s pants, mere inches from his mouth which was suddenly a little dry in anticipation of finding out if that saying held true. When he returned his gaze upwards, Jared was looking down at him with eyes blown black with lust, his breath coming out shallow and fast as he watched Jensen take inventory of his tattooed skin.

With a lingering caress to Jared’s perfect pec, Jensen dragged his hand across Jared’s muscled chest, catching roughly on one dusky nipple briefly before he landed on the next patch of ink, this time on Jared’s left bicep. With a gentle tug on his arm, Jensen pulled Jared down so he was kneeling in front of him, nestled in the vee between Jensen’s legs. He brought his left hand up to knead at Jared’s right shoulder while, over on the other side of Jared’s body, he traced the simple lines of the second tattoo with his eyes and his right index finger. It took him a moment of meditation before he realized what the design was.

“The Deathly Hallows? Really?”

Jared just raised one perfect eyebrow at him in response.

“Hello - bookstore owner.” Jared’s voice was low and rough, but the sass was clear. “Yes, I like Harry Potter. And clearly you do too, since you recognized the design.” Jensen just snorted in concession and grabbed Jared’s face for a quick and dirty kiss.

“That’s so freaking hot, man. Also, really opens a whole world of double entendres with wands,” he replied with a wink. At that, Jared brought his hands up to Jensen’s bare chest to tweak both his nipples, laughing into Jensen’s mouth when he gave a startled gasp.

“And I think you using the phrase ‘double entendre’ is really hot. Someday you’ll have to share some of your wand euphemisms with me. But right now, can we get back to making out?”

Looking up at Jared’s face with his mouth half turned up in a snarky smirk, his hazel eyes glinting in the dim light, Jensen grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him close, a throaty growl churning out from his mouth as their lips slammed together again. The room filled with the sounds of breathy panting and the wet smacking of lips as they worked to devour each other’s mouths, Jensen’s arms wrapped around Jared’s shoulders, his rough, warm hands playing across the smooth muscular expanse of skin, his fingernails periodically dragging down, painting faint red streaks in their wake. There were a few other tattoos that he could still see, but they’d keep for another day. God help him, Jensen was going to do this with Jared again, and soon.

Jared’s hands had grasped at the hard muscle of Jensen’s upper arms when Jensen had again ravished his mouth, and now he moved them to rub up and down Jensen’s sides, fingers spread wide so his thumbs brushed over the sensitive flesh of his nipples on every pass. As his palms ran over ribs and waist and hips, up and down on repeat, Jared pulled his mouth away from Jensen’s with a wet sucking sound, only to return it to the curve of his collarbone. After leaving a slick trail of saliva, Jared opened his mouth to drag his teeth across the warm skin, pulling out a low moan and a slow thrust of Jensen’s hips. Encouraged by the reaction, Jared moved downward further to suck and nip at his chest, moving in a tight zigzag until he reached a nipple. His tongue shot out to flick at the hardened nub, and Jared noticed the swarm of goosebumps that appeared across Jensen’s chest. He cupped his hands to scrape his fingernails along the tender flesh of Jensen’s sides, grinning at the effect he was having on the gorgeous man in front of him, then let his lips fall around the nipple, sucking it into his mouth while flicking with his tongue, eliciting another raspy groan. Jensen pushed up with his hips again, the tight bulge under his jeans pressing into Jared’s stomach, as if to remind him where he was headed. He slid his hands down to the waistband of Jensen’s jeans while dragging his tongue slowly down from nipple to navel, running a circle around the bellybutton then nipping at the soft, sensitive skin just below it, feeling the coarseness of the sparse hair there against his lips. He pushed the button through the fabric quickly, then slid his hand tauntingly, slowly, down the denim-covered bulge. He slid his body down further, squeezing his broad shoulders between Jensen’s knees, then looked up at him, breathless, seeking the brilliant green eyes, seeking the green light to continue. His fingers grasped the tab of the zipper on Jensen’s jeans and Jared heard the unmistakable groan of approval. He tugged the zipper down, feeling the fabric separate against his hand, then tugged at the waistband of Jensen’s boxers, leaning forward again to kiss and suck at the warm skin just below his navel. Jared paused the movements of his hands and inhaled deeply, letting himself be enveloped by the musky, heady scent of _Jensen_. He laid his forehead against the washboard of Jensen’s abs, taking a moment to collect himself and rein in his control for fear of coming in his pants like a teenager. It had been awhile since he’d been with anyone this intimately, and he didn’t want to mess it up. Literally. He took another deep breath and then lashed out with his tongue again, laving at Jensen’s navel, hands playing with the waistbands of Jensen’s pants. He gripped the fabric with both hands and lifted his head away from Jensen’s torso, looking up again into the beautiful face that had so struck him earlier that evening, silently asking Jensen to give him everything.

“God, Jensen. Need you. Wanna taste you so bad. Please.” Pleading, his hands tightened on the fabric of Jensen’s pants. With Jensen’s ' _God, yes, Jared, please_ ,' it was like all barriers were gone, and Jared was set free. He yanked down at the same time that Jensen lifted up, his hips straining towards Jared as though an invisible force was drawing them to him. Jared moved his hands under the fabric and around back to pull both the jeans and boxers down and off Jensen’s ass. The simple cotton of Jensen’s boxers caught and tented over his straining erection, and Jared brought his attention front and center immediately, carefully dipping fingers beneath the troublesome elastic and brushing against the smooth, taut skin of his shaft. He teased his fingers over the leaking slit of the head as, finally, he pulled the fabric over and down to reveal Jensen’s perfect, jutting cock. One final push of denim and cotton, and Jensen was nearly completely naked, his pants pooled mid-calf; his arms were gripping Jared’s shoulders, his head thrown over the back of the chair, his hips thrusting into the empty space between him and Jared, seeking friction. With a groan torn from the very center of his chest, Jared lunged forward, unable to wait a second more, and swallowed him whole.

Jensen cried out in surprise, his hands flying to grasp the armrests at his sides, his hips pushing up into the wet heat of Jared’s mouth on instinct. Jared pulled back to keep from choking and quickly brought up a well-muscled arm to dig into Jensen’s hip and keep his desperate movements under control. As Jared again took Jensen’s length into his mouth, his lips pressing firmly as they slid down, he gripped the fingers of his free hand around the base of the shaft, applying just enough pressure to guide Jensen exactly where he wanted him. He pulled up slowly, dragging his lips as he went until he felt the ridge of the head against his tongue. Still sucking with his lips, he let his tongue spiral around the sensitive ridge, then slowly up the curve of the slit, sucking the salty precome from his tip. Jensen hissed in pleasure at that, so he did it again, flicking his tongue several times over the slit and rubbing at the bundle of nerves just below the head with his thumb. He held the shaft in his massive hand, gently pulling and twisting at the length of it while he continued sucking just the head with his mouth, noting how Jensen writhed more desperately with each passing moment. For a second, he pulled his mouth away and moved his hands to press gently against Jensen’s balls, lightly massaging them before he licked one wide stripe from the base to the tip of his cock and then took Jensen completely into his mouth again. Jared bobbed his head up and down over the shaft, letting his tongue trace random patterns over the smooth muscle, sucking in to keep his spit in his mouth for maximum slide.

Jensen was muttering and groaning nonsensically, hips still trying desperately to fuck Jared’s mouth, but to no avail. Jared slid his mouth off his cock with a messy pop and then sucked one testicle into his mouth, his tongue roving over the surface for a few moments before moving onto its twin. He grasped Jensen’s cock in his hand again, pulling along the shaft and twisting at the head as he mouthed over his balls, increasing the speed of his hand, the way made so easy by all of Jared’s spit.

“So close, Jared, _so_ close!” Jensen panted out, his hands now buried in Jared’s hair, urging his mouth back towards his cock. Jared licked at the head a few more times, moving even faster with his hand, before once again swallowing Jensen whole, taking him all the way to the root and releasing Jensen’s hip, allowing him to push freely into the back of his throat, as far as he could go. Jensen pumped wildly for three thrusts before coming with a guttural shout, and Jared swallowed around him, relaxing into the fullness as best he could and gulping down every drop Jensen gave him. Even after Jensen’s hips stilled, Jared licked and sucked at his spent cock, savoring the strangely satisfying taste that was pure Jensen. He nuzzled into Jensen’s inner thigh, breathing heavily from deep in his chest, the buzz that came from pleasing his partner gradually dimming to remind him that his own needs were still unfulfilled.

“Jared,” Jensen moaned, finally revived, “get up here.” Long fingers, calloused at the tips, wide, generous palms, and strong arms hauled him up along a thoroughly languid body as Jensen pulled Jared to him for a deep, searching kiss. Jensen pulled away first, starry-eyed gaze smiling up into Jared’s face, a happiness so easy and sure, and Jared knew _he_ was responsible for putting it there. Jared brought his hands up to frame Jensen’s face and play across his features. As he traced a finger around lips red and swollen from where Jensen had been biting down on them, Jared couldn’t help but smile. Jensen smiled back and chuckled with a sudden thought.

“Well, would ya look at that. You’re not blushing anymore!” Jared’s eyes snapped to Jensen’s in surprise, and predictably, his traitorous face instantly flushed. After a moment’s consideration though, he responded-

“My blowjob skills are awesome. I’ve got no reason to blush about that.” He lifted his eyebrow as he smirked, utterly confident in his abilities, the proof of his prowess sprawled out like a slice of heaven on the armchair in front of him. “In fact, as it stands, my skills are the only ones currently in the competition. You’re not gonna leave me hangin’, are ya?”

Jared’s challenge immediately prompted an echoing flare of heat in Jensen’s eyes, and he sat up quickly, pushing Jared back onto his knees on the floor as he stood to pull his boxers and jeans back around his waist. As soon as he was partially clothed again, Jensen sat back down on the edge of the chair into the position from which he’d first gazed upon Jared’s tattoos and wondered about the size of Jared’s cock.

“Alright, cowboy, giddy-up.” Guiding Jared up with just a little pressure below his elbows, Jensen positioned him so he was again standing immediately in front of where he sat, the chair low enough and Jared’s legs long enough to put his crotch at very nearly the perfect height for Jensen’s mouth. Jared was still fully hard, his delightfully tight pants not doing a damned thing to conceal the massive bulge. Jensen practically cooed at the sight.

“Such a big boy, you must feel so trapped. Let me take care of you, baby.” Jensen reached around to grab two handfuls of Jared’s ass and used the leverage to pull his groin even closer to his face where he ran his nose against the hard length through the denim. After a few moments of nuzzling and squeezing, Jensen flicked his tongue along the top of Jared’s jeans, dipping alternately into his navel and under the waistband, his eyes fixed upwards and watching Jared’s face as he watched him through half-closed eyelids. Then, emerald gaze still focused on Jared’s eyes, the hazel barely showing around the lust-blown pupils, Jensen lowered his mouth, tongue and teeth working in a flash of practiced movement to release the button of Jared’s jeans. Jared gasped with an astonishment he couldn’t have concealed if he tried, one hand racing from where it had been resting on Jensen’s shoulder to press quickly and roughly at his crotch.

“God _damn_ , Jensen. If you don’t hurry up I’m gonna come in my fucking pants.” Jared felt his face flush with heat, the words falling from his mouth without a second thought, the sudden openness he felt with Jensen taking him by surprise. With a wicked flash of a smile, Jensen then grabbed Jared’s zipper between his teeth and pulled it down in one smooth motion. His party tricks spent (though he’d never tell Jared that), he wasted no time in using his hands to drag Jared’s jeans and boxers down until just his ass and - holy shit - monster cock and balls were bared - _finally_ \- for Jensen’s scrutiny. Jared, God bless him, was perfectly proportional, his already weeping cock standing straight up against his tight belly, at long last freed from all constrictions. Jensen very nearly drooled.

“God, you’re gorgeous, Jared,” Jensen breathed reverently, giving Jared’s cock one broad swipe of his tongue from its base to the prettily leaking tip before stuffing as much as he possibly could into his mouth. Jared gasped audibly followed by a drawn out moan, clenching both hands into Jensen’s sex-mussed hair and thrusting his hips forward. Jensen had a hand around the shaft to take care of the length he couldn’t possibly reach with his mouth, and he twisted his hand and sucked in his cheeks, and flicked his tongue across every nerve and ridged surface he could find. He lifted his other hand to rub lightly at Jared’s balls, keeping up the steady rhythm of his other hand and his mouth.

“Feel so good, babe, so tight for me. Hngh. Almost there,” Jared’s hips continued their quest to stuff his cock deeper down Jensen’s throat, but Jensen refused to surrender any ground. He slowed his pace, soon just slurping at the head while he held the rest of Jared’s dick steady in one place. Jared gave a tiny whine at the loss of the perfect channel that was Jensen’s throat, and then Jensen pulled his mouth away completely.

“Okay, cowboy. Come for me.” Jensen wrapped his lips back around Jared’s cock and sucked him down deep while giving a few more pumps of his fist, and in seconds Jared was filling him up, crying out with the force of his release and almost choking Jensen as come battered against the back of his throat. Jensen took it all, drinking down Jared just like he’d done for him, and even when it was done, he didn’t finish until every last drop was slicked away and swallowed down. Jared pulled out of his mouth with a slick pop and slumped back to his knees, no longer able to stay upright in his post-orgasmic haze. Resting his forehead against Jensen’s, he closed his eyes and exhaled an extremely satisfied sigh.

“Well...I think it’s safe to call it a tie.” Jensen pulled back in mock offense, and Jared just kissed him lazily and laughed. “So. What do you say we break into that wine now?”

“I knew I grabbed it for a reason,” Jensen said as he pushed up from the chair and made his way across the room to grab the bottle from the dresser. Jared leaned up to pull his pants back up over his hips, twisting and tugging slightly to adjust them, then stretched over to snatch his sweater from its crumpled heap on the floor. He was spinning it in his hands to find the front when Jensen stepped past him with the wine bottle and grabbed it out of his hands, quickly tucking it behind his back as he flopped back down into the chair.

“Nuh-uh. No shirt for you,” Jensen said, a fully impish grin spreading across his mouth, pushing up the crinkles at the corners of his eyes that were now glinting in the dim light. He popped the cork from the bottle and raised it to his lips, surreptitiously noting how Jared’s mouth dropped open and closed again several times as he struggled to find words, all while the now familiar red flush rose to spread across his cheeks, the reaction only fueling Jensen’s grin. He licked inside the rim with a sassy dart of his tongue, then pulled the bottle from his lips and passed it across the short distance to Jared who snatched it from him with a slight roll of his eyes and took a quick swallow.

“You’re _trying_ to make me blush now?” Jared asked as he felt the heat creep down his exposed neck and chest. He handed the bottle back, now distracted by his bare upper body and the overwhelming urge to fold his arms across his chest and hide himself.

“But it’s _so_ adorable!” Jensen said with a laugh, enjoying as the crimson on his face deepened and spread delightfully down his naked torso. Jared dropped his head down to his chest with an exaggerated sigh. 

“Please can I have my shirt?” Jared tried, his eyes pleading and his pink lips puckered into a pretty little frown in a kicked-puppy expression that probably would have worked on anyone else - anyone who wasn’t quite as clever as Jensen.

Jensen merely grinned again, his eyes twinkling as he took another swig from the bottle, then shook his head. Jared let out a sigh, shifting from his knees to sit between Jensen’s feet, leaning against his calf, feeling the warmth of him pressing against his bare skin. He tilted his head up to peer at Jensen through his lashes as he took the bottle back from him.

“You know, it’s kind of chilly in here,” Jared said, raising his eyebrows with the bottle paused halfway to his mouth, waiting to see if his new tactic would work.

“Keeps your nipples hard,” Jensen said matter-of-factly with a nod, his eyes darting shamelessly down to Jared’s chest.

Jared growled - partially in frustration and partially because it was apparently a bit of a turn on, Jensen casually mentioning his nipples like that - and took a long drink of the wine as he considered his next move. He set the bottle down on the floor then rolled back up to his knees, turning to face Jensen. He planted his palms on Jensen’s thighs, then slowly slid them up to his hips as he rose up and leaned forward.

“You’re kind of infuriating, you know that?” he said, smirking before leaning forward to press a slow kiss to Jensen’s full lips. A low hum came from Jensen as he pressed into the kiss, then Jared slid his hands up to Jensen’s waist, pushing one behind his back and grasping onto the fabric of his sweater while his other hand nipped at the fleshy skin of his side, causing Jensen to let out a short yelp as he lurched away from the prodding fingers, giving Jared just enough space to tug the sweater free.

“Hey!” Jensen yelped, making a grab for the shirt as Jared scooted backwards with his prize and a grin. “That’s playing dirty!”

“And holding my shirt hostage isn’t?” Jared said, chuckling as he turned the sweater in his hands, trying to pull it on as quickly as possible. Before he could get it even halfway raised, Jensen dove from the chair down to his knees in front of where Jared sat on the floor, grasping at the shirt and tackling Jared onto his back. Both men laughed as they each tugged on the shirt that was now wedged between their stomachs, Jensen’s body pressed between Jared’s legs, his free hand on the floor just above Jared’s shoulder holding him up. After a few more moments of the struggle they became aware of the way they were positioned, their laughter drifting off as their eyes met. Jensen lowered himself down, letting go of his grip on the sweater to lay his palm against Jared’s face, his thumb sliding lightly across his still-smiling bottom lip. He let out a long, slow breath as he took in the beautiful features of the smiling face below him before ducking down and pressing his lips to Jared’s once more. 

Just as Jared’s hands were sliding down Jensen’s back, there was a loud rapping on the door, causing both men to jerk their mouths from each other and freeze in place.

“Um...guys?” Sammie’s voice came through the door, tentatively. “People are starting to get ready to leave...they’ll be needing their coats.”

“Sorry!” Jensen called out after quickly clearing his throat. He grinned down at Jared and chuckled at the evidence of his embarrassment at being caught - again - brightening his face. He slid up and off, allowing Jared to sit up and resume fumbling to get his sweater on. Jensen stood, then spun around until he located his own shirts that had ended up halfway under the bed. He scooped them up and hastily pulled them over his head and straightened up, giving a few quick tugs of the fabric to smooth the wrinkles. Jared was standing by the door with his fingers on the lock, waiting for Jensen to be fully clothed before turning it and swinging the door open.

“Hi!” Sammie said, a grin spreading wide across her face as she took in Jared’s disheveled hair and brightly glowing red face as Jensen came up behind him. “Did you guys get to...uh...know each other better?”

“Intimately.” Jensen winked at her as he grabbed a handful of Jared’s ass, giving it a quick, firm squeeze. Jared let out a yelp as he spun away from Jensen’s groping hand, then sighed, shaking his head as Sam and Jensen burst out laughing together.

“Oh my god,” Jared muttered, bringing one hand up to swipe at his burning face, dragging his palm over his mouth and pulling down the corners as he tried his best to stifle a reluctant smile. But his sparkling eyes belied his shared amusement, and he lowered his eyelids in pleasure when Jensen placed a quick, happy kiss on his cheek as his mirth subsided. Sammie breathed out a wistful sigh as she looked between the two of them, her face just as flushed in happiness as both Jared and Jensen’s.

“Jensen, I think Gen and Danneel were planning on heading out soon. You might want to make sure they don’t leave without you.” Sammie shook herself out of her musings and started moving away, back down the hall to the living room. A few unknown guests were trickling towards where Jared and Jensen still stood in the doorway of the guest room, and the boys stepped aside to let them duck inside and retrieve their coats.

“Come on. I want you to meet my friends before they go.” Jensen tugged at Jared’s hand and started leading him away from their former sanctuary and back out to where the festivities were beginning to wind down.

“Won’t you have to go with them?” Jared felt a wave of sadness thinking he might be parted from Jensen so soon. Their time in the guest room had been amazing, but far too short, and Jared didn’t want their night together to end.

“Nah, I don’t have to. I can just get a cab or something. C’mon, I want to introduce you to them.”

“Okay, I’m game. I’ve had good luck meeting new people so far tonight.” Jared paused for just a moment before adding, “Amazing luck, actually, considering you’re the only person I’ve spoken to besides Sammie and Andrew.” Jensen squeezed his hand and shot a brilliant smile at him as they re-entered the living room. It was difficult to see in the dim light, but Jared could tell Jensen was pleased by the pink spots blooming on his cheeks.

The room was much darker than it had been earlier in the night, now lit only by the soft white lights wrapped around the Christmas tree and on the garland that was strung up all around the room. The effect was rather lovely, but it did make it a bit more challenging for Jensen to locate his friends. He finally spotted them over by the piano in the corner, a tall redhead in a blue sequined dress that hugged her curves, and a shorter girl dressed in sleek burgundy, her dark, wavy tresses cascading halfway down her back. He pointed them out to Jared as he steered them in their direction; Jared found himself wondering if Jensen knew anyone who _wasn’t_ drop-dead gorgeous. Apparently he said that out loud, because Jensen chuckled.

“Well, clearly not. I mean, I somehow managed to land the most gorgeous guy here, didn’t I?” He winked as they reached his friends, so, naturally, Jared’s face was bright red again when the girls turned from their conversation to greet them.

“Jensen!” The short brunette squealed when she saw them, wrapping her hands tightly around Jensen’s waist and beaming up at him. “Where have you been? You went to go get a drink and then we didn’t see you again!” Jensen returned her hug with his free arm, grinning down at her, her face flushed from a tad too much wine. She stepped back to stand beside the other woman and only then did she notice Jared, whom she eyed with a gentle curiosity from beneath her long lashes.

“Yeah, Jen,” the redhead crooned with a knowing look, giving a not-at-all-subtle nod to where Jensen was still holding onto Jared’s hand, “where’d you run off to? It wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with Mr. McDreamy here, would it?” Jensen’s broad smile widened all the more and he tugged Jared forward.

“Ladies, this is Jared. Jared, this is Danneel,” he gestured towards the redhead who flashed a brilliant grin, “and Genevieve.” The brunette gave a tiny little curtsy and bowed her head before looking back up to beam at him. Their apparent pleasure at meeting him was infectious and Jared couldn’t help but smile at them in return, the full force of his dimples coming into effect.

Just then, there was a loud shout of “MERRY CHRISTMAS, BITCHES!” that came across the room, the small group turning in unison to see where it was coming from, only to find two women standing at the door, all bundled up in hats, scarves and coats, their mittened hands cupped around their mouths. They both laughed, then ducked and scurried away as Sammie shooed them out the door, leaving everyone in the room chuckling and shaking their heads at the drunken antics. Jared raised his eyebrows at Jensen’s friends in a silent question.

“Oh, that was Amanda and Jen,” Genevieve explained. “We did some shots with them earlier. Believe it or not, they were actually just as crazy _before_ they got all boozed up. They’re fun girls though.” She smiled fondly at the closed door before returning her attention to the men towering in front of her. “Speaking of getting to know people, Jared, don’t you run that bookstore over on 42nd Street?”

“Oh, wow, yeah,” Jared sputtered, a bit shocked that anyone would recognize him. “You’ve been there?”

“YES! Sammie pointed it out to me when you first started selling her book. Now it’s one of my favorite bookstores - you keep a great selection in there.” Genevieve glanced up, grinning flirtatiously at Jared. “Not to mention the eye candy.”

“Woah, woah, woah, hold on there, missy. You go find your own nerd, this one’s mine.” Jensen reached out with both arms to dramatically pull Jared into his side, smushing his cheek against his shoulder and turning his back to his friend in a playfully protective stance.

“Yours, eh?” snarked Danneel. “Gotten attached rather quickly, have you?” Her eyes shone playfully, and there was no heat behind the comment, but there was a hint of quiet sincerity in her voice and it struck Jared just how accurate she was. They’d only known each other for, god, a few hours at most, but Jared already knew that he wanted so much more. He snaked his arm around Jensen’s back and squeezed lightly at his hip, trying to convey that, however attached Jensen had become, Jared was right there with him. Jensen just smiled softly and burrowed his head into Jared’s chest, his cheeks burning bright pink in a sort of pleased confession.

Danneel and Genevieve just exchanged amused looks, smirking as if to say “and we’re friends with these dorks?” They seemed to reach some silent agreement then; they both shook their heads, their luscious locks shining in the glow of the Christmas lights, and turned towards the boys again with gentle smiles.

“Well, gentlemen, it’s truly been lovely, but we really must be going. Jen, you gonna catch a ride with us, or…?” Danneel pursed her lips and raised one eyebrow expectantly at Jensen, her eyes dancing between him and Jared. After giving him one more quick squeeze, Jensen stepped away from Jared to wrap his arms around Danneel, hugging her tight.

“You guys go on, I’m good,” he said as he pivoted to Genevieve, enveloping her in another quick hug and placing a parting peck on her cheek. “You two get home safe, and I’ll talk to you soon.”

“You better believe we’ll talk soon,” Danneel said with a wink at Jensen, then turned to smile at Jared. “It was nice to meet you Jared, hope to see you around.”

“Yeah, I’ll say hello next time I stop by your store, Jared,” Genevieve said, almost excitedly. “G’night, Jen...Merry Christmas!”

With that, the two women strolled off, arm in arm. Jensen watched them as they left, his imagination taking him back to the small, coat-filled bedroom, a small smile playing across his face as he recalled the time he and Jared had spent together there. He glanced around the room once the girls were out of sight, and noticed there were just a few straggling party guests still milling about. He turned his attention back to Jared, sighing slightly sadly as he realized the time to leave was approaching far too quickly. He slipped his hand lightly into Jared’s, giving him a gentle tug as he turned and slid onto the bench at the piano. He settled himself in front of the keyboard, placed his fingers loosely on the keys and began to play a soft, slow rendition of ‘Silent Night’.

Jared smiled from where he stood beside him, listening to him play for just a moment, immeasurably pleased and fiercely, strangely proud of how effortlessly Jensen brought the music to life. It struck him with great sadness that there was not much time before their impending departure, and he resolved to make the most of every minute. He stepped around the side of the bench and sat close beside Jensen, their thighs pressed firmly together, allowing Jared to feel the flex of Jensen’s muscles as he worked the foot pedals. He slid his arm around Jensen’s waist, gripping low on his hip, and just enjoyed watching Jensen’s long, lovely fingers as they caressed the ivory keys. He watched and listened in contented stillness as the melody washed over him. He smiled as he replayed the events of the night in his mind, considering how much of a difference a few hours had made since he’d last sat here on this bench.

He was startled out of his reverie when he felt two hands slide around his shoulders, glancing up to see Sammie smiling down at him when he tilted his head back. She folded her arms across his chest and leaned lightly against his upper back, her chin coming to rest beside his head where she was draped over his right shoulder as she listened to Jensen play. Jared reached up and clasped his hands near her elbows, giving her a gentle, thankful squeeze before turning his attention back to the hands on the piano. After a moment, Sammie straightened, running her fingers over the back of Jared’s hair before walking around to meet Andrew where he’d just joined them on the other side of the piano.

Jensen played the last notes of the song, transitioning after a brief pause to play ‘Greensleeves’ in the same calming tempo. He looked up, nodding at Sammie and Andrew who had settled against piano, their arms holding each other close in a relaxed embrace. He turned to Jared then, leaning slightly towards him, brushing his shoulder into Jared’s chest, his eyes smiling brightly. All of them listened intently to the song, reveling in the happiness and warmth of the moment. 

As the last chords of the song echoed into the now empty room and slowly faded, Jensen turned to plant a quick kiss to Jared’s cheek before returning to the keyboard when the strings fell silent. Jared closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, savoring the lingering feel of Jensen’s lips against his skin. His heart was pounding loudly in his chest, and a desperate panic began welling in his throat as the silence stretched out. He clenched his eyelids more tightly shut, wishing and hoping against hope that the music didn’t have to end, that the night wasn’t over. Then, like an answer to a prayer, the opening notes of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ rang out, joined in the third measure by Jensen’s rich baritone singing the lyrics, soft and low.

 _“Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_  
_Let your heart be light;_  
_From now on,_  
_Our troubles will be out of sight.”_  


Jared let out the breath he’d been holding and slowly opened his eyes, blinking back unexpected tears and just relaxing into a soft smile as Jensen’s gorgeous voice seared the lyrics into his soul. Jensen looked around at each of his friends, giving them an expectant look, urging them to join in. Andrew was first, adding harmony in a clear tenor, quickly followed by Sammie’s sweet soprano as the song continued.

 _“Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_  
_Make the Yule-tide gay;_  
_From now on,_  
_Our troubles will be miles away.”_

Noticing the absence of Jared’s voice, Jensen gave him a nudge to the ribs with his elbow, turning to grin at him as he leaned his shoulder back into his chest. Jared rolled his eyes just a little, his face warming to red yet again, but he began to sing, his voice quiet but steady.

 _“Here we are as in olden days,_  
_Happy golden days of yore;_  
_Faithful friends who are dear to us,_  
_Gather near to us once more.”_

Jared took in the happy sight of their small group, his gaze landing on each person one by one. Sammie’s smile shone as bright as the Christmas lights reflected on the white surface of the piano. She clung firmly to Andrew who was turned towards her, his love for her abundantly clear - and clearly reciprocated - as they beamed into each other’s eyes and sang together. And then there was Jensen...and he was stunning. His emerald eyes positively sparkled, the crinkles at the corners radiating his joy as he similarly observed their friends and hosts. The sides of his mouth were lifted in a soft smirk, and, when they all sang the final verse of the song in unison, he turned to Jared with such an intense look of affection that Jared’s breath caught in his throat and his voice dropped out before the closing lyrics, his mind too distracted by a heart nigh on full to bursting with hope.

 _“Through the years,_  
_We all will be together,_  
_If the Fates allow;_  
_Hang a shining star upon the highest bough._  
_And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.”_

Jensen repeated the last line one final time, his voice ringing out rich and beautiful and unaccompanied in the quiet room. He retracted his fingers from the keys with one lingering caress, his left hand falling to his leg. He let his right palm rest on Jared’s thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze, his eyes lowered to his own lap for a short moment before he looked up at Sammie and Andrew with a tiny smile.

“Merry Christmas, guys.” He took in a quiet, steadying breath. “Thanks for a great night.” He held his gaze steady, straight ahead and fixed on his friends, though he kept his hand on Jared, moving it down just slightly to squeeze at his knee. Jared sent a quick, questioning glance to the man next to him, several emotions warring in his mind, but he tampered them as he looked up and over at their hosts.

“Yes, thank you. Really.” A moment of hesitation, and then Jared rose from the piano bench, moving to embrace Sammie in a tight hug. He murmured softly into her ear, low so only she could hear. “I mean it. I…” he blushed as he said it, but he didn’t care. “I had a great time tonight, and I wouldn’t have even been here if it weren’t for you. So thanks.” He pulled her a fraction closer as he pressed a kiss to her temple and then leaned away, his arms still held loosely around her slim waist. She clasped her hands to his forearms and searched his eyes with her own, silently asking questions that didn’t require vocalization. When she was satisfied with the answers she found, she nodded and separated from him, moving to where Jensen still sat on the bench.

“Merry Christmas, darlings.” She leaned in to kiss Jensen’s forehead and give his shoulder a quick squeeze. “I’m gonna go load up the dishwasher. Come find me before you’re ready to head out, okay?” She threw a meaningful look at her husband, one eyebrow raised expectantly, and then turned, leaving the men in the living room.

Andrew lifted his eyebrows, eyes wide in wonderment, and he stretched out his right arm to Jared who was still standing in front of him. Jared clasped it firmly, giving the man a fond smile as he shook his hand.

“Well, I guess that’s my cue. Gentlemen, it’s been a pleasure. I’ll just go grab your coats and then I’d better see what the wife needs help with.” He shook Jensen’s hand, too, as he passed the piano, and then he was gone and Jared and Jensen were alone.

Jensen pushed the bench back and stood, sliding it under the ledge of the piano before straightening and tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. His cleared his throat and tilted his head as he regarded Jared for a quiet moment, a blush endearingly creeping across his beautiful face. He looked down for a second and shuffled his feet before returning his eyes to fix Jared with the same intense gaze as before when they were singing.

“So, um, I had a really great time tonight.” The pink on his cheeks was now spreading down his neck, and his whole body was vibrating with anticipation and nerves. He struggled to keep breathing in, and out, and in, and out.

“Yeah, me too,” Jared replied, his heart in his eyes and hope in his chest as he took one small, tentative step forward towards Jensen, the heat rising in his face once more.

“And, well, I kind of really like you.” Jensen brought one hand up to scratch at the back of his neck, averting his eyes in uncertainty, but only for the short moment before Jared responded, which was only as long as it took him to draw in a quick, sharp breath and take another step closer.

“I really like you, too.” Those small, yet also incredibly huge, admissions now having been voiced, it was as though a wall had been torn down, and both boys rushed to speak at once, their gazes locked and both their bodies moving to eliminate the space between them.

“Do you want to come home with me?” Jared blurted, while Jensen burst out-

“Would you like to get dinner sometime?

The room was suddenly filled with joyful shouts of laughter, and Jared and Jensen shook with the force of it, both leaning into each other and clasping across their bodies to hold onto the other’s shoulders.

“That’s usually my line!” Jensen gasped at Jared as their noses brushed and they smiled at each other. “But here I was, trying to be all gentlemanly, and you go straight for it. You surprise me, book boy.” Then he was framing Jared’s face with both hands and beaming happily into his eyes.

“That’s a yes, by the way. I’d love to come home with you.” He leaned in to seal the deal with a kiss, capturing Jared’s lips and humming contentedly against his mouth. Jared opened to him eagerly, allowing his tongue to sweep in and tangle with his own. His thumbs stroked Jensen’s sides as he pulled him close, aligning their bodies perfectly. He could feel the tightness of his pants increasing, certain desires becoming rather more urgent, when suddenly-

“Here you go, boys, you’re all set to go!” Andrew swept into the room, stopping short just past the threshold, his jaw dropping at the sight before him. Jensen and Jared jumped apart, both blushing furiously at having been caught making out _yet again_ by one of their hosts. Andrew was still frozen where he stood, eyes wide and a flush in his cheeks, the meaning of his wife’s earlier look now abundantly apparent. He gave his head a little shake to clear his shock, and then called over his shoulder towards the kitchen.

“Sammie, Jared and Jensen are ready to leave now! Come say good-bye.” The two men crossed the living room to gather their jackets from their friend, his face still burning pink right up to the roots of his reddish-brown hair, but his gaze was kind when he met their eyes. Sammie joined them just as Jensen was wrapping his fleece scarf snugly around his neck. Her eyes sparkled when she noted how her friends’ faces were flushed with what seemed to be excitement, or anticipation, or - she considered, after their time spent in the spare bedroom - possibly, probably both. Her heart soared in happiness, and she sent up a quick prayer of gratitude, thankful that they had found each other. Her heart nearly burst when Jared took Jensen’s gloved hand in his own and he smiled down at her.

“Merry Christmas, Sammie.” He hugged her tight, and then Jensen did the same. They smiled and nodded once more at Andrew, and then they turned to go. They left, matching grins on both their faces and eyes bright with hope for the future, walking hand in hand into the dark, snowy night.

**Author's Note:**

> THE END! <3 We hope you enjoyed this. Comments and kudos are love. Thank you for reading, and merry Christmas!


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